Momento
by juliette729
Summary: Written for Eowyn77's sentimental pack-rats challenge. Edward on his wedding day. Whatever happened to that Lemonade Bottle cap from Twilight/Midnight Sun?


**this was written for Eowyn77's Sentimental Pack Rat Challenge. **

**I was in the mood to write and wanted a prompt and found that one and liked the idea. Didn't have a beta, i tried to read through it a few times to make sure I caught as much as I could. Please read and review**

**ohhhh yeah, none of it is mine. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer. She's one lucky woman.**

A big grin spread across my face as I punched Emmett in the shoulder and he just continued to laugh at my expense. I'm sure if I could blush, I would be as red as Bella can get. I had spent the night hunting with my brother's and they took out any frustrations they might have had on me by teasing me about my impending marriage and honeymoon. Jasper was actually trying to be helpful, Emmett was just trying to see how rude he could get before I threatened him. Even though I had spent the last 8 or so decades in a house with married couples, and I could read their thoughts, I was still a bit nervous. I would never admit to anyone, but I wanted to do right by Bella. I wanted to be the husband that she deserved, not the monster that I was.

Jasper just shook his head as he glanced over at me as Emmett pulled his jeep into the garage. I knew I must be radiating a plethora of emotions, but my most dominate one was happiness. I was gleefully happy, ecstatically happy and so nervous that Alice was going to walk down the stairs and tell me that Bella had changed her mind.

"Edward, get a grip, you're driving me crazy. Pick an emotion and stay with it, please."

"Sorry, Jasper. I can't help it."

Jasper just nodded. _I remember when I married Alice, I knew for certain she wasn't going anywhere, but yet, I couldn't help be nervous that she wouldn't meet me at the alter. I think that day I smiled more than I ever did in the century before._ _I'm happy for you. I haven't felt you this happy ever._

I nodded my head at his admission. He knew not to make his statement out loud for fear of Emmett taking it and running in some vulgar direction with it. Emmett had mentally been running down a list of sex tips all night. After the first thirty minutes I've tried to keep him blocked. Once he figured that out, he's been shouting in his head ever since.

We came in the back door to the house, through the kitchen.

"Off with the muddy shoes in the house, I don't have time to re-clean everything." Esme greeted us at the door with her hands on her hips.

"I need the chairs set up in here and then Alice needs the tables and chairs placed underneath the canopy out back."

I eyed the stairs the whole time our mother was giving us instructions for the afternoon.

"And no Edward, you're not allowed to see her yet." Esme softly broke my attention. I blinked and looked at her. I just smiled again and her face became lovely in a wide smile of her own. She was as excited about today as I was. _I've waited for this day as long as you have, actually probably longer, because you used to think you didn't need her. But I always knew, she would come along. Not her per se, but you know what I mean._

I nodded.

_Enjoy today my son. Cherish it. Hold every memory, because her's will not be crystal clear, but yours will be._

Esme enclosed me in a hug before shoving me off to help Emmett and Jasper.

I could hear Alice upstairs giving instructions and directing the action surrounding my Bella. Eventually Jasper had to drag me out to the back yard to finish with Alice's demands. None of us wanted to be in her cross hairs today. This was the pentacle of all of the planning she had been doing for the past few months. The grand show and she was determined everything was going to go off without a hitch. I sincerely hoped so.

I paused outside of Alice and Jasper's room on my way up to my third floor sanctuary to get dressed. Jasper was following Emmett to his and Rose's room to get dressed. I paused and stopped to listen. I could hear Renee fussing over Bella and I could hear Bella's rushing heart beat. It drew me towards the door. I took one step and had one hand extended towards the door knob when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned and Carlisle was standing there.

"Not a chance, if you want to survive till the ceremony."

"Edward, go upstairs now!" I heard Alice hiss at me from inside her room. I knew it was so low that none of the humans present would be able to hear, especially Bella. "You are doing this properly. You'll see her in a little while. Don't ruin this for yourself." She continued.

Carlisle just grinned at me and jerked his head towards the stairs. Jasper was pushing a laughing Emmett into his room.

Carlisle followed me upstairs.

"Esme says she fine, just a bit nervous from the whole 'show' but otherwise, ok.

I just nodded at my father as I walked into my closet and found the tux that Alice had left hanging there.

I had been in or been to the weddings of the other three couples in the house; Rosalie and Emmett's on several occasions. Here I stood preparing for my own. If my heart could still beat it would have constricted with the love I felt for Bella and then sped up in anticipation. I knew Bella was nervous, she had repeated over and over that she didn't see why a wedding ceremony or her public embarrassing herself somehow had anything to do with forever. I knew that one day she would understand, that even with the thought of forever and immortality, I wanted her as mine and me as hers in every way possible. She had finally decided this was a gift that she could give Renee and Charlie as well. Their farewell gift: her happy and in love.

_Are you ok, son?_

I heard Carlisle's thought question.

"Yes." I state back from the depths of my closet.

_Nervous?_

I thought on that for a moment. No, not really. Anticipation was flooding through me. Good anticipation at seeing my bride, the one I had waited unknowingly for nearly a century for. The one that had changed me so completely, I was almost unrecognizable to myself. And bad anticipation. I had worried for weeks now as to how to fulfill Bella's one human request. She was fulfilling my one heart's desire, so I was planning on completing hers. She wanted me in all the ways she could, she wanted to consummate our marriage before entering into immortality and forever.

Every time the thought was brought to the forefront of my mind my stomach twisted and I wondered how in the world did I deserve someone so trusting, fragile and strong as my Bella. The thought was constantly with me, but I tried to repress the dark places it took me in her presence. The overbearing loathing I had for myself if I hurt her in any way. She deserved pleasure and happiness. She seemed to think I was the one meant to give her those things, even though truly someone else, a human would be healthier for her. However, I was human and I am a vampire and I am empirically a very selfish creature. I wanted her as much as she desired me.

I had not responded to Carlisle's last few thoughts and so he appeared then and placed a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to face the man who had taught me so much in my life, to whom I would never stop learning from.

"I have never in all the years we have walked this earth together been more proud of you than I am right now. You deserve this day. It is mine and your mother's sincere wish for you and Bella both to have a lifetime of happiness."

I nodded knowing he spoke his words in sincere truth.

"Thanks for standing by me, not just today, but for the past decades and all the ones to come."

Carlisle smiled then and nodded himself. He embraced me quickly in a hug and then stepped back.

"I'll let you get dressed now. I'll meet you downstairs."

Carlisle left then and I slid the suit off the rack and changed quickly. I smiled at my reflection in the mirror. The cut was very similar to suits that my father wore in the few pictures I had retained of my human parents. Alice had gotten the measurements exactly right without me even having to try anything on or stand for measurements. I knew Alice had put a lot of work into today and the warmth I felt for my sister was quick and deep.

"Thanks Alice." I murmured knowing she would hear it, where ever she was with Bella.

I could hear her smug response back in her head.

I combed through my hair not needing to do anything else and then retreated to the bedside stand and reached into the cabinet below pulling a worn wooden box from the back. I flipped the lid open. Inside were a few of the remaining items I still had left from my mother's jewelry box. Esme and I Alice had both come to me in the week that followed me giving Bella her heart charm and my mother's ring. They had insisted that I save the rest of my treasures for Bella alone. They thanked me profusely once again for the items I had given them, but stated adamantly the rest belong to my future wife. Esme had touched my cheek and whispered in her head.

_As your surrogate mother, I know how proud your own mother would be of you, and I'm sure she would feel the same way. _

She had then turned and had left my room. I reached in now among the jewels and broaches, the less expensive items. The ones worth considerably more monetarily had been stored in a safety deposit box in a high security bank in Chicago years ago. Now I reached for one of the items that was worth the least monetarily but otherwise was priceless. I took the small metal lid from the box, closing it and replacing it back in its corner.

I opened my palm and stared down at the metal bottle cap that still had the faded imprint of a lemonade brand. I placed it on the bedside table side up and spun it for a moment and watched it whirl across the smooth surface. With each twirl I saw flashes of the past year and half in my life. All the tender moments I had spent with Bella, the agony of walking away from her and the darkness of thinking I had lost her. There was a bright flash for when I knew I had her back and the brightest moment was her acceptance at my proposal of marriage, finally. I grasped the small lid before it could careen off the table and stuffed it into my pocket.

Some people carried worry stones, or played with small inanimate objects when nerves hit, or just out of habit. I wanted something with me that was tangible, something of Bella's, something that reminded me of those first days when my world had completely changed.

I took a deep breath and tried as best as I could to clear the voices that were babbling up from downstairs. Everyone was in awe of Alice's handiwork. I tried to search for Alice's mental voice, but she had it very silent. Rose was setting up her music at my piano. She was thinking that despite what most people thought, she was actually glad to be able to play at my wedding, since I had accompanied her for most of hers. She snapped that thought closed quickly and I could tell she was mentally cringing hoping I hadn't caught that. Emmett and Jasper were waiting at the bottom of the stairs to escort Esme down the aisle.

I stepped from my bedroom and saw our mother waiting on me at the top of the stairs. She was lovely of course and was straightening the corsage on her wrist when she looked up. I could tell that if we were able to cry, she would be pooling a river at her feet. She beamed at me.

"I'm sooooo happy for you. She's ready, she's waiting on you."

I just gave Esme a crooked grin. She reached up and kissed my cheek.

"Here, let's get this pinned on." She tugged at my lapel and I bent just enough so she could reach it easily as she pinned the boutonniere on my coat. She then held her hand for me to take.

"Let's go, it's finally time to get you married." She grinned at me herself and I led her to my brothers. I followed behind and took my place next to Carlisle who was already waiting on me at the front near Rev. Webber.

Next came Phil leading Renee who _was_ crying a river of tears. She took her seat on the front row saving a space for Charlie. The music drifted and I looked up to see Alice all but dancing her way down the aisle. She had waited on this day with almost as much anticipation as I had. I had been chiding her on the amount of excitement she had been exuding lately. I asked how she could be so worked up over something she's already seen.

I always got the same snappy response "But it hasn't happened yet! I can't wait to see it for real!"

Alice daintily turned to face the audience and I saw her shoot a quick wink at Jasper who was grinning at his wife and clearly thinking how much he liked the dress she had chosen. I shook my head quickly and suppressed a grin at my siblings.

I stuck my hand in my pocket and fingered the bottle cap there. I was once again amazed at the journey my life had taken from that day to this one. I grew still as I contemplated what our life would be like now. The years that were starting to stretch out in front of us.

I once again felt Carlisle's strong hand on my shoulder as he leaned in slightly and whispered. "She's there."

I jerked my head up and down the aisle. Sure enough there was my bride, my Bella, descending the last step carefully, holding onto her father. I watched as she seemed to be looking for something as they progressed further up the aisle and then our eyes connected. I couldn't help it, I couldn't stop it if I wanted to. My hand accidently closed too hard around the small metal cap that could do nothing to retain its shape against my palm and my face spread into the biggest smile I think I had ever formed.

I removed my hand from my pocket, leaving the now considerably smaller metal ball in my pocket and watched as the dream of my life in white lace and silk came to meet me.

My dead, cold, lifeless heart fluttered a kick start the moment Charlie placed his daughter's hand in mine for eternity.

**Remember whether you liked it, loved it or loathed it, let me know it!**


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